Many electronic devices typically include one or more input devices such as keyboards, touchpads, mice, or touchscreens that enable a user to interact with the device. These devices can be integrated into an electronic device or can stand alone as discrete devices that transmit signals to another device either via a wired or wireless connection. For example, a keyboard can be integrated into the housing of a laptop computer or it can exist as a separate device that is operably connected to a computer.
It is often desirable to reduce the size of an electronic device and to minimize the machining costs and manufacturing time of the device. However, as the overall size of an electronic device is reduced, the available space for the keyboard and its various components is also reduced. Consequently, the internal components of the keyboard may be reduced in size or eliminated to decrease the overall size, dimension, and/or thickness of the keyboard assembly. But the reduction or elimination of components or layer(s) in the stack-up of the keyboard may negatively affect the functionality of the keyboard or may require significant re-working of the stack-up, which can increase the time, complexity, and/or cost to manufacture the keyboard assembly.
Additionally or alternatively, the reduction or elimination of components or layer(s) in the stack-up may negatively affect the tactile response or “feel” of the key mechanisms in the keyboard. For example, a key mechanism may not provide a user with a desirable amount of tactile response (a “click”) when the user depresses a key mechanism. Alternatively, the downward movement of the key mechanism can be non-uniform depending on where the user presses down on the key mechanism. For example, the downward movement of the key mechanism can differ depending on whether the user presses down at the center of a key mechanism, at a corner of the key mechanism, or at the edge of the key mechanism.